


a hopeless business

by PaxDuane



Series: Gift Fics for Tumblr Friends [4]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Arranged Marriage, Dooku being a creep, Good Parent Jango Fett, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Minor Obi-Wan Kenobi/CT-7567 | Rex, but he dead, everything against the Kryzes as a whole, how much worldbuilding can I inject into 1k, implied third sex, kind of, mentioned other clones, nothing against Korkie Kryze
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28899039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaxDuane/pseuds/PaxDuane
Summary: With his father dead and numerous unmarried younger siblings, Kase "Hardcase" Vhett is in the position to keep his family safe. All he has to do is marry the aged Count Dooku. It's a foregone conclusion, but that doesn't mean any of the Vhetts are happy about it.Or, something like a Regency/Bridgerton (less so Jane Austen) AU
Relationships: Dooku | Darth Tyranus/Hardcase
Series: Gift Fics for Tumblr Friends [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877284
Comments: 27
Kudos: 27





	a hopeless business

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheAceApples](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAceApples/gifts).



> I'd mentioned a Regency AU to Apples on twitter and it percolated into this. May come back to the concept, especially because there are so many other things to explore.

“What a charming creature you are.”

Hardcase has to hide the way that makes him bristle; the Count of Serenno is looking at him like a predator and that kind of thing would be taken as weakness.

The Count circles him slowly. “One of Alvha’s…but young. One of the latter brood.”

That makes Hardcase want to snap. He doesn’t.

“And now your father is dead and your step-dam has you and all of your younger siblings to try and take care of.”

Hardcase’s hands twist. “I don’t understand what you want, sir,” he finally says, as careful as Rex taught him, “Bringing up such things.”

The Count stops in front of him and reaches out to cup Hardcase’s chin. “I am offering you help, Kase Vhett. Marry me, and I will see that your family is taken care of.”

Hardcase can’t help himself; he stares. Boba is the only one of them who can manage to keep their own seat, but he’s painfully young even as the eldest of Fordo’s brood. Cody and his riduur are trying to hold the wardship, but the Kryzes have lusted after their land since Spar first married into it. The chance for those of his siblings not married, all younger than him, is…astronomical.

He ducks his head. “I would have to speak to my step-dam, and my older brothers.”

The Count laughs. “You would. Such a good child, a good sibling. You’ll make a phenomenal dam.”

A shiver runs down Hardcase’s spine. “My older brothers will send an answer within a tenday,” he promises, slowing his words so he does not stutter.

The Count inspects him one last time and nods, then sweeps up his hand to kiss it before seeing himself out.

Fordo comes in through the door that was settled behind them. “Kas’ka.”

“I have to,” Hardcase says.

“You don’t,” Fordo assures him, pulling him into a hug. “Your father hated Count Dooku. He would not have wanted you to do this, even for us.”

“What else is there?” he asks, near begging. “What other options do we have?”

Fordo brings him in for a few breaths in Keldabe. “We will figure something out eventually.”

“This is our chance to keep everyone together,” Hardcase tells him. “What we’ve been talking about…we’d have to foster out most of the kih’vode. Like this…”

“Hardcase.”

“Just…let me talk to Cody and Rex about it.”

Fordo sighs, shoulders dropping. “I can’t stop you. It is…It is their final decision.”

“I wouldn’t even think about it if Buir hadn’t died.”

“I know, Kas’ka.” Fordo kisses his forehead. “Just…think about it.”

Cody and Rex look like they want to set something on fire.

“No,” Rex says. “How dare that shabuir—.”

“Rex,” Cody says, stopping him, exhausted. “What alternative do we have?”

Rex flinches. His riduur is actually a relative of the Count, but Obi-Wan is an earl in Stewjon, the title inherited through his mother’s family. He knows the Count better than almost anyone in the family, but even he can’t argue.

Cody scrubs his face. “You don’t have to, Hardcase, but…”

Hardcase nods. “That’s…that’s why I brought it to you.”

“I hate this,” Rex says.

“I’m not particularly happy about it either,” Cody snaps. “But better Serenno than the Kryzes.”

Hardcase’s brow furrows. “Have the Kryze’s made an offer?”

Cody sighs heavily. “They’ve been talking about marriages. Dogma is the same age as Korkie Kryze.”

“No,” Hardcase snaps, aghast. “No, we are not—no.”

“I know, vod’ika,” Cody murmurs. “I know.”

Hardcase drops his head, biting back a terrified sob.

“And Pre Vizsla sent an offer for your hand,” Cody asks. “That one was unthinkable, of course, but…”

“You hadn’t told me about that one,” Rex says.

“I burned it.” Cody sighs. “Marrying up, in both cases, but…”

“Those families need to die out,” Rex says venomously.

“I’m technically marrying up, too,” Hardcase points out, flinching at the dual mournful looks on his older brothers. “Look, out of all of you, Rex married the farthest up. Cody, you were the only one to marry for love and you still managed to marry up. I’ll be on equal footing with you, but the difference is…”

“Money,” Cody agrees. “Serenno is the wealthiest county in the Kingdom.”

“And despite his bullshit, he’s close with the Jedi and Regent Valorum,” Rex agrees. “I hate that this is the best course of action.”

“He can keep the Kryzes from getting the wardship in a million different ways.” Cody sighs. “But…are you sure, Hardcase?”

Hardcase sighs, rolling over in the bed the moment the Count has left. He feels…satisfied. More that the Count is going to keep his end of the bargain, but there is a certain amount of physical satisfaction despite the uncomfortably sticky sensation between his legs.

He needs to get up and clean himself off, but he’s exhausted. He slept terribly, last night, and then the wedding was painfully long and boring. He’d spent most of it twiddling the flowers of his bouquet and the lace of his gown. The Count was the picture of distinguished nobility and it chafes every bit of his need for freedom, but…this was the only choice.

He sits up and winces as the nasty bite on his neck. It was a completely different experience in bed, but it still chafes against the same place. The Count is determined to own him in every way, has made it clear that Hardcase won’t be seeing anyone from outside the grand house on his own, family or not. He won’t be allowed to visit people, on his own, either. No, he is the Count’s pretty bauble on a shelf.

But it’s worth it. Family is more than anything, any freedom, and like this they’re safe. The Kryzes won’t get the wardship. Dogma and Tup and Boba and the rest of the littles won’t have to marry terribly. It’s now up to Fordo and Cody and Rex who they marry, who will take their feelings into consideration. Hell, Wolffe and Bly and Fox might be able to be taken into consideration. For Hardcase, it would have been too many cooks in the kitchen, too many desperate dissents.

All Hardcase has to do is look pretty, spread his legs, and, hopefully, have children.

He wants them almost as much as the Count, if for different reasons. The Count wants legacy and the image of perfection and…proof of ownership. Hardcase has always loved babies.

**Author's Note:**

> Not mentioned background pairings! Because I need to think about something happier.  
> Bly/Aayla/Kit  
> *fingerguns* (Wolffe, Cody, and Fox are also married but their pairings are up in the air. All arranged marriages of the older Vhetts but Jango picked arrangements he felt would work well for his kids)
> 
> Honestly, if the Kryzes as a whole weren't Like That, Dogma/Korkie would probably work really well. Earnest, awkward, cute. 
> 
> *whispers*guys if you want I'll revisit this AU with other pairings, drop your ideas in the comments if you want*/whispers*


End file.
